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Dear friendsWe need your urgent support. Most of you know theWELCOMMON HOSTELand the former project WELCOMMONhousing and social inclusion center for refugees, two projects of the social cooperativeANEMOS ANANEOSIS / WIND OF RENEWALsince you participated as a volunteer, an intern, a visitor, a friend, a supporter…

Our previous work

In our innovative community center for refugees, WELCOMMON, we have hosted, empowered and supported with non-formal education, art therapy activities, tutoring lessons, social and psychological services more than 600 vulnerable refugees for 1,5 year (9/2016-2/2018).

Our current work

When the funding for the refugees center stopped suddenly, we decided to open an innovative hostel with social impact. Until today in our new innovative project Welcommon Hostelwe combined social issues like sustainable tourism, green & climate action and empowerment – social integration of refugees. Our main purpose is also to empower the people of our program in the day-to-day challenges that they face. The most valuable result of our Welcommon Hostel project is the strong bond that formed between our international volunteers, the staff members of the project, the participating refugees/migrants of the program, the neighborhood and other social actors.

Our ongoing cooperation with volunteering services with global organizations such as Respect for Greece, Vanderbuilt University or EVS is creating a space for connecting and learning from each other. Our goals for the future are to make our network even stronger and build bridges, not only between the countries, but also to build a strong network to support integration in society and the labor market. A further aim is to expand our initiative and include activities with a greater level of focus on topics such as women’s empowerment by better informing and train them on professional opportunities.

Since the funding for our social project ended in February 2018, we had to find ways of supporting ourselves financially entirely on our own! With a lot of effort, but without capiital or access to loans, we rebuilt the accommodation, so– the five upper floors are an innovative Hostel focused on responsible, sustainable tourism– on two floors, there is space for non-formal education with refugee children and language lessons for teenagers and adults, painting, dancing, etc

This initiative of our social cooperative Anemos Ananeosis/ Wind of Renewal – the WELCOMMON Hostel – is an example how we can create a world of co-existence,as the Hostel is a place of interreligious encounter for symposia, seminars and workshops in Athens, a base for delegates and travellers from all over the world, an island of peace in a world of wars, (because of its location in a poor quarter of Athens) a place of social understanding, a place of cultural encounter to promote respect and solidarity, a bridge connecting local communities with new comers, asocial experiment for the smooth integration of refugees from different cultural and religious backgrounds in Europe.

The WELCOMMON Hostel is also a center for social and green innovation.

Why we need your urgent support

As the social project has no income and the costs for the additional expenses for the social activities, the use of the rooms and the accommodation of our volunteers, bills and use of infrastructure cost around 8.000-10.000 Euro per month, the Hostel is not able yet to cover all the costs. Due to restrictions on bank funding in Greece it is essential for the existence of this project to find alternative resources until the hostel can finance the social project on its own!

Because of the very strict laws in Greece, the owner of the building is forcing us to pay at least three rents in advance by the end of May. Otherwise, he will evict us and we have to stop all our programs we are carrying out the last months and all the planned future objectives!!!

We are in a seriously urgent situation for the future of our existing social project and the WELCOMMON HOSTEL as such. We have only 20 days to find the way to pay the ammount of 70.000 euros. A donor will contribute with 20.000 euros if we are able to find 30.000 and we will contribute with own resources with 20.000. Every form of support is needed to find the amount of 70.000 euro by 26thof Mayso we will be able to continue our work, which is so necessary for the situation of the refugees and local society in Greece, as the asylum policies are getting stricter and the integration of people harder.

Of course, you can support us

– with a direct amount with 100, 500, 1000 or more euro in our bank account (you will receive an invoice for your donation)

– you could organize an event with our great social purpose like a brunch, a dinner or a party.

–you could find friends who would like to visit Athens and book immediately rooms in our WELCOMMON HOSTEL in May and pay their accommodation through our website (www.welcommonhostel.gr)

Please share your ideas with us in order to organize it together! But this must be done quick.

Please share this call for support with your communities, universities, friends or other organizations and Institutions.

–strengtheningcollaboration and exchange of knowledge and experience between the participating organisations, universities, NGOs, research centers.

– promotion of synergies and common initiatives for climate protection, just energy transition, training and creation of new jobs in renewable energy and energy saving

The meeting was an opportunityfor the representatives of seven EUKI projects to know each other better and exchange their experiences from climate actions, programs and activities in cooperation with their european partners.

The social cooperative Anemos Ananeosis/Wind of Renewal, which was the hostingorganisation of the meeting, was represented by Nikos Chrysogelos. WoR participates in two EUKI projects: Climate Schools Be.Athand YESClima“Young Experts for Climate-friendly Schools in Mediterranean countries”. Four young experts of the YESClima project participated also in the meeting: Mr Ioannis Kotsalos, Technician of Heating, Cooling and Electrical Systems, Ms Dimitra Apostolopoulou, Engineer of Renovation and Restoration, Ms Agapi – Evaggelia Tsampazi, Civil Engineer Msc and Ms Sofia Papadopoulou, Energy Engineer Msc.

The project Graeducation Research, Development and Testing of Education Services with main aim the improvement of the education of “Green Professions” in Greece was represented by Ms Silke Steinberg and Stamatia Aidonidou, who cooperate with FIAP e.V. (Institute for innovative and preventive job design) and Mr Wolfgang Jung and Rall Engelbrecht-Schreiner from Technological Park in Gelsenkirchen.

The project ENCREMENCO, ΕΝhancing the Capacity of Regions & Municipalities to participate in EΝergy CΟmmunities, was represented by Mrs Papamikraki and Mrs Korna from Center For Renewable Energy Sources and Saving.

The project BEACON, Bridging European and Local Climate Action was represented by Ms Tzanakaki Evi from Center For Renewable Energy Sources and Saving.

The project CYCLEURBAN was represented by Mr Thanos Vlastos, professor of National Technical University of Athens.

Olga Drossou, director of the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Greece participated in the meeting as an observer.

The European Climate Initiativeis a financing instrument of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). The overarching goal of EUKI is to foster climate cooperation within the European Union in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. It does so through strengthening cross-border dialogue and cooperation as well as exchange of knowledge and experience.

– Climate protection and energy saving
– Reduction of energy consumption and the ecological footprint of schools
– Education and training of young people in order to work in energy saving issues, natural heating and cooling systems.
– To familiarize young people with scientific – technical issues, economic issues, entrepreneurship and legislation on climate protection, and more specifically energy saving and energy inspections and interventions.

During the project “YESclima – Young experts for climate friendly schools in Mediteranian countries” 11 young people from Greece and 11 from Spain, organized in three groups, will have 6months theoritical and practical education so they can work in the energy saving sector and natural heating and cooling techniques in buildings.

The program is based on the results of the EUKI projectZEWklima, research and study program completed in the spring of 2018, coordinated by the Hoheschule Technic and Wirtschaft (Berlin School of Applied Science, Technology and Economics), the Berlin Free University, the University of Cádiz and Anemos Ananeosis /Wind Renewal, about the reforms needed in education so that young people can work professionally in areas that promote energy saving and renewable energy.

Climate Schools Berlin-Athens is a 28-month project aiming to augment the awareness of climate change and energy consumption in the school communities of the Municipality of Athens (MoA).

It consists of 4 axes:

Training of trainers, training of teachers, implementation of educational activities in 73 pilot schools, dissemination events. All these, in parallel with ongoing field research at the pilot schools, with the participation of the teachers who are involved to the project.

Climate protection awareness campaign and creation of a network with the participation of the pilot schools.

Development of the MoA action plan for all the schools of the Municipality, aiming at the augmentation of the ecological awareness in school communities and the reduction of Energy consumption in the schools.

Experience is gained through the collaboration between Greece and Germany on both educational and technical issues, such as energy efficiency and refurbishment of schools or involvement of teachers, pupils and parents, as well as through the cooperation between partners from the two cities: Municipality of Athens and Anemos Ananeosis/ Wind of Renewal from Athens and Respekt für Griechenland e.V. and Unabhängiges Institut für Umweltfragen, from Berlin.

The program emphasizes in the dual education of professional education and job training in Greece which could lead to a cooperative dialogue between companies and educational institutes, something which is really important for the Greek market. Given the today’s challenges, the transfer of knowledge between Germany and Greece can contribute to the development of the professional training in those two countries. In the same time, it is important to develop the idea of professional training in those two countries, since it is not very commonly held.

The goal of this project is to develop tailor-made transition strategies for the economic transformation of specific regions in Bulgaria (Southwest Bulgaria), Greece (Western Macedonia), and Poland (Silesia) away from coal and towards sustainable economic activities. Each transition plan will form the basis for advocating Just Transition pathways and region-specific options at national and EU level.

Bridging European and Local Climate Action (BEACON) is a project promoting climate action and facilitating an exchange between national governments as well as municipalities and schools in Europe. The aim of the project is to strengthen bi- and multilateral cooperation and create common ambition to realize the Paris Agreement.

ENCREMENCO, ΕΝhancing the Capacity of Regions & Municipalities to participate in EΝergy CΟmmunities

The project is about exchanging experiences, knowledge and practices between Greece and Germany concerning practices and good examples of Energy Communities.

The project „Cycling as an element of urban climate mitigation policy“ (Cyclurban) will advance cycling as a measure for sustainable urban mobility and climate mitigation on a local level. In particular, the project will look at the current situation and develop measures to strengthen cycling mobility in the areas infrastructure, policy and planning, services and promotion, also taking into account new developments such as e-bikes and cargo bikes. It will demonstrate how to integrate cycling into municipal strategies in one city in each of our five target countries: Tartu (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), Warsaw (Poland), Velika Gorica (Croatia) and Vrilissia (part of Athens, Greece). Each city will develop own specific strategies to advance urban cycling mobility. In a second step, the project will also provide recommendations on how cycling can be supported on the national level. In seminars and with the help of lessons learned publications, it will disseminate experiences to reach more municipalities and decision makers.

A series of public events (discussions, workshops, round tables) are organised by Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal (social cooperative) in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Office Thessaloniki, Greece on four thematic axes that contribute to an informed and visionary dialogue on social green innovation and climate policies and how best to integrate them in Greece with a view to transforming the current economic and social model. In addition, efforts will be made to provide space and opportunities for reflection on crucial issues in view of the European elections (end of May).

Changing the productive and economic model

Circular / green economy the basis for a new productive – economic model for Greece and Europe

Climate change, a challenge to change the economic – productive and consumer model and create new economic activities and new jobs

Energy cooperatives, a tool for changing the energy model and promoting investment by citizens – European experience, good examples, new tools created at European level, producing energy in the city and the neighborhoods

Social and solidarity economy and how it is understood in society and institutionally in Europe and the US

Science and technology

From chemistry of hazardous materials and components and heavy industry, to green chemistry, green design and green products

From gray to green infrastructure at the time of climate change

Digital technology and economy – how they will work for the benefit of society, the environment and sustainable prosperity

A new social policy based on social and green innovation as well as social investment
1. The housing crisis, red loans and possible role / prospects of social housing – the European experience of housing and social housing

2. Alternative financial tools to promote smaller or larger projects with a social impact and benefit.

3. The crisis of health systems and the need for a holistic approach to health

4. The social pillar and European integration in the era of nationalism and inequality

5. How will social security and protection systems be in the future?

The future of cities in times of climate change, risk and mass movement of populations

1. How does climate change happen in the city? What changes are required for cities to be resilient?

2. How are cities shaped by new models in tourism, such as AirBnB and mass tourism? Are there other tourism models? Can there be phenomena that exclude citizens from their city?

3. What models of housing and social inclusion of vulnerable groups can empower the neighborhoods and the cohesion of the city?

4. How will policy on energy poverty be based on social and green innovation?

The events are realized on a weekly basis, starting February until the end of June at the premises of the Welcommon Hostel, run by the Wind of Renewal.

The hostel itself is a demonstration of green social innovation that started its life in September 2016, as an innovative center for hosting and supporting the social inclusion of refugees that has been awarded for its community model approach for the protection and inclusion of refugees, migrants and Greeks. In spring 2018 was refurbished and turned to an innovative hostel which combines models of sustainable tourism with social inclusion, green and social innovation, cultural and energy transition activities.

Anemos Ananeosisis organizing a workshop on “Social economy, social responsibility and social financing: good examples, obstacles, potential in Europe and the USA”, on Friday 8th of March, 17.00, in WELCOMMON HOSTEL, 4, Kapodistriou str, near Kaniggos sq:

– “Social responsibility and Vanderbilt University – Project Pyramid’s role in bringing students and social impact organizations together”, Tyler Skelton, MBA Class of 2019, Vanderbilt University

Project Pyramid matches groups of students with social enterprise partners around the world to work on meaningful projects. The class has just entered its 13th year and has sent more than 700 students to work with more than 50 partners in over 20 counties. Tyler Skelton is the Project Pyramid Board Chair for the Turner Family Center for Social Ventures, a Vanderbilt University student-led organization that aims to help students understand how market forces can help with poverty alleviation and other social issues. Tyler will have a quick talk about the Turner Family Center and Project Pyramid before opening up discussion

In Germany there are lots of possibilities for financing a social project, but many projects do not know about this. So we will give some short ideas about the possibilities you have, either Crowdfunding and competition or sponsorships from the state.

The Green Office Movement was established in the Maastricht University in 2010, now it spreads worldwide: the Green Office Movement-a sustainability office at the University, which coordinates sustainable projects, realizes green education, organizes events etc. The whole Green Office Movement is open-source, so every University has the freedom to form the role of the Office, as it needs to be. We will give you quick information about the idea of the Green Office and tell you about our experiences in trying to establish the Green Office in Frankfurt.

– “Rreuse, a European network of social enterprises for reuse, recycling and social inclusion”, Antigone Dalamanga, president of Rre-use

RREUSE represents social enterprises active in reuse, repair and recycling. Rreuse and its members want the EU and national governments to move from promoting just recycling and waste management to putting secondhand first. Rreuse members employ people at risk of socio-economic exclusion and help bring them back into work. In addition they bring products back to the market at affordable prices providing essential household items to low income groups. Approximately 140,000 workers, trainees and volunteers are engaged in the activities of its 26 members across 24 European countries and the USA.

Designing a funding strategy for NGOs and social projects, European Funding Opportunities 2014 – 2020. Why you need a funding strategy, how you can start, Stakeholder Analysis, initiatives and practices for social innovation, sustainable solutions to youth unemployment

The workshop is part of a series of discussions and events titled “Green Social Innovation” organised by the social cooperative Anemos Ananeosis/ Wind of Renewal, with the support of Heinrich Boell Stiftung Greece

Climate change is already a reality but we have to do our best for climate protection and energy transition. The social enterprise Wind of Renewal / Anemos Ananeosis (WoR) has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation, green and social economy and the cooperative business model. It was constituted in Greece in 2014 for the promotion of social cooperative and responsible economy, social entrepreneurship, green-circular economy, eco-social innovation, intercultural dialogue and the protection of environment.

We promote Energy Transition

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal participates in two programs of European Climate Initiative and promotes

a) education and awareness of 200 teachers from 73 school from Athens and the participation of thousands of students in order to raise awareness about climate and reduction of energy consumption in schools @EUKI_Climate

b) The training of 11 Greek young people (at the same time 11 young people in Spain) is aimed to obtain professional qualifications for young people to promote the energy control in schools and other buildings to implement the innovative natural climate systems and practices that will transform schools into zero-emission buildings @EUKI_Climate

In collaboration with the partners of Graeducation program we have recently trained, more than 100 teachers of primary schools and professors of the secondary education on renewable energy sources topics focus in vocational education of Green skills and professions field.

We want to make our innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL, a new Hostel in Athens with social and green impact more energy efficient as well as a demonstration center for energy efficient systems, a zero emission building, a training center for energy transition and climate protection in collaboration with different organizations, research centers, energy cooperative, financial institutions. With the WELCOMMON HOSTEL we are combining two “different” aims: sustainable tourism, green and social innovation with green transition, social inclusion, art, intercultural dialogue.

We have so far invested more than 250.000 euro for the renovation, refurbishment based on reuse-upcycling and to acquire equipment for the hostel, but we must invest more resources for the decoration and the rest of the equipment, for energy efficient systems, and an infrastructure for a better environmental and energy performance

What is the WELCOMMON HOSTEL

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal is renting since August 2016 this building with about 3.200 square meter, which was until the end of the year 2013 a public clinic. We fully renovated the building already twice. Once at autumn 2016 to be for 1,5 years a model center for accommodation and integration of the most vulnerable refugees and then again to become an innovative, functional and esthetic Hostel with a social and green impact.

The whole renovation based on the idea and the awareness of re-use and up-cycling, not only to reduce renovation expenses but also for ecological issues. Beside the fact that we did relevant changes for the lightning, changing the old lamps with new LED lights, there are double windows and some insulation, we regulated the boiler, the temperature of the waste gases and other mechanical systems, to reduce energy waste. However, the building is old and remains energetically wasteful and ineffective. The result is negative both as for the climate and for the expenses of the heating, cooling and electricity.

Challenge:

For environmental and economic reasons we are immediately looking to modify the building to a zero emission building and to operate as a center of education and training in green issues and activities and also as a place to demonstrate energy efficient technology and present renewable energy sources in the city of Athens.

Needs:

We are looking for donations and programs to support our plan and companies, which are willing to provide to WELCOMMON HOSTEL their technologies of energy reduction and renewable energy sources on buildings in order to be able to transform it into a zero emission building. In return, we demonstrate the technology to our guests and cooperation partners from all over the world, who visit us to see our work. Thousands of people and organizations, schools, students, businesses will have the opportunity to be introduced to these technologies and practices in an open center for demonstration.

Needs:

Find resources to create the space for training and to create a spirited team and partners who will be able to use the organized energy experimental workshops which can take place at Welcommon Hostel and can also take place in the professional orientation of pupils, in order to familiarize the students or any interested parties in renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency.

Promoting of circular green economy

Under the concept “Discussing and taking the initiative for the green/circular and social economy and the innovation” we are organising a variety of workshops, public events and day workshops with the participation of universities, teachers social – vocational institutions, social – economy enterprises, social media such as:

Science and technology. What are the changes and how do they affect the productive, economic and social model: green chemistry, green design, green products and green infrastructures for climate change, the digital technology and the economy for the society, the environment and the sustainability.

A new social policy based on social and green innovation and on social investments: the role of innovation and social economy against the housing crisis, red loans and the energy poverty, alternative finance tools to support smaller and bigger projects with social and ecological impacts, re

What is the future of the city in times of climate change, the risk and the mass movements of population? The climate change in the city and other changes are needed to make cities resilient.

How do new tourism models affect the cities (like Airbnb and mass tourism), which models for housing and social inclusion of vulnerable groups can strengthen the neighborhoods and the cohesion of the city? How will the energy poverty politics could support the social and green innovation?

The events will take place once a week, from beginning of February until the end of 2019, at WELCOMMON HOSTEL in cooperation with many institutions.

Summer School for energy transition

We are planning a Summer School for Energy Transition in collaboration with a number of organizations and universities. This will take place on the first week of July 2019 in Sifnos (Greek island), with 20 young people from Greece, Germany and Spain. We will discuss topics on energy savings in buildings, energy audits, natural air-conditioning systems, traditional and contemporary bioclimatic architecture, energy transition, zero emission buildings, energy cooperatives, etc. The summer school will be combined with public events and a workshop for energy cooperatives.

If you want to collaborate with Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal, please contact us windofrenewal@gamil.com. We will be glad to find the way for a creative cooperation.

Social inclusion and green transition projects in the innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL

WELCOMMON Hostel, an innovative hostel with social inclusion and energy transition vision

It is a demanding project, but we decided to risk. We created the WELCOMMON HOSTEL, an innovative hostel and also a social experiment in the center of Athens. We decided to combine two “different” aims: sustainable tourism, green and social innovation with social inclusion, art, intercultural dialogue. And it seems, it works.

Although the building is no longer a refugee hosting center and has been refurbished into a modern facility, two floors of the WELCOMMON Hostel are used as an open center for social empowerment and inclusion. Learning from each other is an important and interesting part of our social project. As many people with different knowledge and skills come together, we try to benefit from each other.

We offer in daily basis classes (e.g. for language, painting, puppet show, music etc) with the support of volunteers to about 50 refugees, migrants, local people, tourists; we work for the empowerment and training of our guests and design interactive workshops for the professional training and promotion of the abilities and qualifications of refugees, especially the young people, along with Greek nationals, in order to be able to find their way in our society and for the benefit of our societies (see attached a brief report about our activities with refugees).

The aim is to create also new employment opportunities for everyone in areas such as up-cycling, ethnic cuisines, culture, green / cyclic economy, energy efficiency and others. Our societies must not accept generations being lost, we must not leave young persons, Greeks, migrants, refugees behind.

Challenge:

We want to reach a satisfactory level of completeness of our WELCOMMON HOSTEL through our collaboration with sustainable tourism organizations, schools, universities, Erasmus groups, ethical enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives, social and ecological groups. We hope in 2 years to be able to finance 100% of the operation of the Hostel and more than 50% of our social and green projects, which are also very demanding. In 2019, we have to find the resources of more than 70.000 euro to finance part of our social projects’ costs.

Needs:

In order to maintain the social project and the proportions of the building used for the social activities (800 m2), as well as being able to develop our social – ecological projects and to have a valuable continuation, it’s necessary to have more support.

The salaries of the volunteers’ coordinator and volunteers’ mentor as well a small part of the materials for the activities and lessons are funded by the non-profit association Respect for Greece and one foundation until the end of 2019. But this is a small part of the cost that in total is higher than 8-10.000 Euros/month. In order to be able to continue our work we have to find, very soon, donations, as two floors in the Hostel are not used for the guests/tourists but for the social inclusion activities. The expenses of the social project are high:

the proportional rent cost for 2 floors – 800 m2- used for the social, cultural and ecological activities and the lessons,

hosting 10-12 volunteers in special rooms,

the activities as such,

use – consumption of materials,

need for supporting services, eg cleaning,

refurbishment of the rooms,

bills for water, electricity, heating and cooling

The philosophy, vision and mission of Anemos Ananeosis/Wind of Renewal and WELCOMMON Hostel

Our philosophy is that we want to be part of the social change we want to see happen. Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation and the cooperative business model. We want to influence the direction of our society to become more sustainable and ecologically and socially fair.

Our visionis to bring close people from all over the world, to enable them to communicate, to be entertained and to explore the creative side of Athens. In the WELCOMMON Hostel we can introduce you to the world of Greece’s cultural, environmental and social organizations as well as of social economy. You can also contribute with your ideas and experience. It highlights the positive impact that cooperatives and social enterprises have on communities, revitalizing neighborhoods, making bridges between communities, social groups, newcomers and local people.

Our missionis to daily improve and develop our services, make our hostel more than convenient, friendly and live, artistic and social innovative. We can organise your study trip in the city and provide details about interesting social events and groups. We can also supply you with all necessary information on other Greek cities, islands or a mountainside, connect you with cycling groups, or let you know the secrets of culinary delights. This networking supports our model for the way out of the deep crisis.

Who we are

Anemos Ananeosis /Wind of Renewal has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation, green and social economy and the cooperative business model. We want to influence the direction of our society to become more sustainable and ecologically and socially fair.

We “promote” our WELCOMMON HOSTEL to Universities, schools, social groups, social enterprises and cooperatives, artists which plan to visit Athens. If they decide to stay in our hostel, they can discover the creative side of the city and at the same time support our social and green activities. Our guests can participate in workshops, art exhibitions, cultural events, social activities, networking, youth meetings, youth exchanges like Erasmus projects. We collaborate with a lot of eco- and social active groups in the city and we could connect our guests with groups that offer guided tours to cultural sites, alternative neighborhoods, “secret” corners, traditional shops, local and authentic places in Athens. We can plan the perfect tour for our guests.

The WELCOMMON HOSTEL is a new Hostel in Athens and also a social experiment. We are combining two “different” aims: sustainable tourism, green and social innovation with social inclusion, art, intercultural dialogue.

With a lot of effort and hard work, we succeeded in creating an innovative Hostel in the center of Athens, which aims to promote sustainable models of tourism and at the same time provide the space for non-formal education and social inclusion for about 50 refugees daily. It is also a place for art and culture as well as for social and green innovation and economy.

We “promote” our WELCOMMON HOSTEL to Universities, schools, social groups, social enterprises and cooperatives, artists which plan to visit Athens. If they decide to stay in our hostel, they can discover the creative side of the city and at the same time support our social and green activities. Our guests can participate in workshops, art exhibitions, cultural events, social activities, networking, youth meetings, youth exchanges like Erasmus projects. We collaborate with a lot of eco- and social active groups in the city and we could connect our guests with groups that offer guided tours to cultural sites, alternative neighborhoods, “secret” corners, traditional shops, local and authentic places in Athens. We can plan the perfect tour for our guests.

Who we are: Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal

Anemos Ananeosis /Wind of Renewal has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation, green and social economy and the cooperative business model. We want to influence the direction of our society to become more sustainable and ecologically and socially fair.

The social enterprise Wind of Renewal / Anemos Ananeosis (WoR) was constituted in Greece in 2014 for the promotion of social cooperative and responsible economy, social entrepreneurship, green-circular economy, eco-social innovation, intercultural dialogue and the protection of environment.

The WELCOMMON Hostel highlights the positive impact that cooperatives and social enterprises can have in a society to revitalize neighborhoods and communities, social groups, newcomers, social groups, youngsters and locals.

We are a member of the European Social Entrepreneurs network for inclusive community tourism LE MAT EUROPE, which reflects on the triangle of “outstanding spaces, values, people”. We are also part of the Greek Youth Hostels Association as well as of the international network of hostels Hostelling International.

Additionally, Wind of Renewal is a founding member of the Greek Forum of Social Entrepreneurship and member of REVES, the European network of regions, municipalities and social enterprises for the development of the social economy.

How you could support our innovative project

If you like our project “WELCOMMON HOSTEL”, please inform your friends, social networks, schools, universities, artists, organizations and institutions. We create job opportunities for unemployed locals, refugees and migrants in a cooperative environment and in diverse fields, while training in fields of sustainable tourism, energy transition, climate protection, social innovation and inclusion.

If one decides to stay in our hostel. one supports the sustainability of our project, the employment of young Greek, migrants and refugees, one can feel the history of Welcommon and can support our work for climate protection, energy transition, energy poverty etc

Challenges:

Although our program is highly innovative and carriers from all over the world visit us to get to know the business model that combines social entrepreneurship with social benefits, we did not get to have access to even a micro-credit. All the official banks refuse to give us a credit of 45-50.000 Euro on the grounds that we had no profit in the last years.

The key factors in making our program a success are:

Access to financial resources and funding for this first period of the operation of the Hostel, until we reach a satisfactory level of completeness and we are able to ensure the financial viability of the hostel. Until now we were not able to have such an access to micro-credits or other financial tools because of the difficult financial situation in Greece and the crisis of the Greek systemic banks.

Investments: We have so far invested more than 250.000 euro for the renovation, refurbishment and to acquire equipment for the hostel, but we must invest more resources for the artistic decoration and the rest of the equipment, for energy efficient systems, and an infrastructure for a better environmental performance

Hiring extra personnel from vulnerable groups (refugees, young and elder unemployed local people etc.) and training them for high-quality accommodation service and sustainable tourism in general, as soon as we are financial viable.

Needs:

(a) Our basic need is to make the Hostel in one year sustainable and subsequently the income of the Hostel is enough to finance its operation and additional programs of social impacts, benefits and inclusion as well as energy transition and climate protection. This means marketing the aims and needs of the WELCOMMON HOSTEL to networks and carriers, universities and schools, in order to consider our Hostel when they visit Athens to support our activities.

Communication about the innovative hostel and the activities we organize every day (we need a communication officer and campaigner, but we cannot afford the resources for this job position).

Cooperation with social networks, universities, Erasmus+ projects, cultural initiatives, environmental and youth organizations, special partners from the tourist ecosystem, experts.

Advertisement of our project through social networks

(b) We need immediately access either to some micro-credits or to donations to be successful and to pay back loans we were forced to take out from friends and partners as well as to fulfill the investments we still need. It would be also very helpful if groups, friends and partners that plan to visit Athens and stay in WELCOMMON HOSTEL would book timely and already pay for their accommodation now (prematurely). Every financial alleviation and donation is necessary for us, to withstand economically as long as it takes until we are sustainable from the incomes of the Hostel.

Municipality of Agios Dimitrios, in Attica, has expressed its will to colaborate for this progect, and the first meeting took place at the municipality on Wednesday 10th of January, with the participation of:
– Mayor, Maria Androutsou
– Deputy mayor of technical services, Aggelos Gavalas
– Members from the Electical-mechanological Department of Municipality ms Olga Vlachou, Environmental Engineer Msc and Antonis Manolaros, Electrical Engineer.
– President of Wind of Renewal, Nikos Chrysogelos
– The first greek team of 4 young people who are being trained in energy saving issues, Ioannis Kotsalos, technician of heating, cooling and electrical systems, Agapi-Evagelia Tzampazi, Civil Engineer Msc, Sofia Papadopoulou, Energy Sources Msc and Dimitra Apostolopoulou, Engineer of Renovation and Restoration.

The topics of the meeting were:
– Description of the project that will be applied in five schools of Agios Dimitrios
– The participation of teachers and students in energy audits and energy saving proposals
– Collection of data needed to formulate the final proposals for reducing energy consumption and energy upgrading of selected schools
– Public environmental awareness actions with the participation of parents and the school community.

During the implementation of the project energy audits will be carried out in schools – that have been selected – jointly with students and teachers on the basis of a participatory methodology developed under the EUKI “Climate Schools Be.Ath“ project, in which Wind of Renewal is a partner. The energy audits will be carried out by the four trainees in colaboration with the educational communities of the schools. Following the audits, low, medium and high cost proposals for the energy upgrade of schools, will be drafted.

One of the main tasks of the project is the improvement of the quality of schools spaces and and the energy efficiency in educational buildings with the use of energy efficient and passive systems.

The municipality will collect information and data about schools that will help in energy audits and proposals, using a questionnaire especially drafted for the energy audits.

The project is being implemented by ‘Wind of Renewal’, University of Cadiz at Spain, Secretariat for Future Studies of Free University of Berlin and the APEC -Provincial Energy Agency of Cadiz, Andalusia. This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) which is a financial instrument by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.’

The aims of the project are:
– Climate protection and energy saving
– Reduction of energy consumption and the ecological footprint of schools
– Education and training of young people in order to work in energy saving issues, natural heating and cooling systems.
– To familiarize young people with scientific – technical issues, economic issues, entrepreneurship and legislation on climate protection, and more specifically energy saving and energy inspections and interventions.

During the project “YESclima – Young experts for climate friendly schoolls in Mediteranian countries” 11 young people from Greece and 11 from Spain, organized in three groups, will have 6months theoritical and practical education so they can work in the energy saving sector and natural heating and cooling techniques in buildings.

Wind of Renewal will cooperate with the Municipality of Agios Dimitrios, the Municipality of Chania and the Municipality of Sifnos in the framework of this project. The trainees will apply their knowledge and experience in energy audits in a number school of these 3 municipalities, exploring forms of collaboration with students and educators, and conducting studies on what can be done in these schools in order to be upgraded and gradually convert to almost zero-emission buildings (Zero Emissions Buildings, as is now the case for building legislation).

The social cooperative Wind of Renewal and its social project “Days of Welcommon” in the innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL

Who we are

The social enterprise ANEMOS ANANEOSIS/ WIND OF RENEWAL was constituted in Greece in 2014 for the promotion of social cooperative and responsible economy, social entrepreneurship, green-circular economy, incorporation of democracy and human rights in financial and social life, as well as eco-social innovation.

One of its projects is the new WELCOMMON HOSTEL, a new Hostel in Athens and also a social experiment. We are combining two different aims: sustainable tourism in Athens with social inclusion, culture and social entrepreneurship.

It is the only project in sustainable tourism and accommodation in Athens run by a cooperative, ANEMOS ANANEOSIS/ WIND OF RENEWAL. It is based on the idea of “community” as well as ecological, social and inclusive growth for all. We are part of the social change we want to see happen. Our moto is “special people, values, places”, we are part of the European LE MAT Network of social enterprises in tourism and HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL.

What is about

It is not only an opportunity for tourists to stay in a good place inAthens; it is also a way to enjoy their stay in the city, discover its social, cultural, environmental side, exchange experiences and ideas, learnand “share”; they can participate in activities we organize (art exhibits, non-formal education, music events, visits to cultural sites) or they can organize something themselves.

The idea of the Hostel is to involve also guests and locals from the neighborhood into the social project by informing about our activities. For example, a guest of the Welcommon Hostel was very inspired by the social project and he offered a painting session for the participating kids. This went out really great and so volunteers, guests and refugee kids learn and benefit from each other. Other groups of visitors / tourists meet refugees and cook together or organize activities together.

The ongoing collaborations of ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / Wind of Renewal are with different organizations as:

Many universities, like Vanderbilt University (USA), Hoch Schule Darmstand (Germany), Hohe Schule Technic und Wirtschaft Berlin, University of Candiz (Spain), Frei Universitaet Berlin and 20 other universities all over the world

Many European networks like REVES, Social Economy Europe, CICOPA/CECOP. REScoops.eu, Housing Europe,

Volunteers ofthe European Voluntary Service (which is part of the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme), coming from different countries are running social activities.

American students from the Dikemes exchange program. Dikemes are providing language lessons to our students on a voluntary basis.

Inclusive education and empowerment for social inclusion

We are committed to work for the promotion of the education and social inclusion of all young people by the support of many volunteers all over the world. Especially for refugees:

We give children the best possible start in their life

we support parents by providing places for their children to meet, play and learn, build trust and develop creativity

We believe that we can build coherent and active communities by bringing people together.

These activities are not addressed only to the refugees but also to the tourists – guests of the Hostel and to the neighbors that they want to interact with the refugees through various cultural activities such as: board games, museums visits, intercultural cooking, cinema, theater etc.

Through this interaction and coming together, we promote awareness on social, cultural and ecological issues. The participants can have a better understanding of asylum seekers and hear their personals stories, but also the refugees can understand better the values, relations and functions of the hosting society. We promote a win-win and inclusive society.

Our organization focus on creating a network with national and international partners in order to promote mobility of young people for collaboration with them on intercultural dialogue, art, energy transition, social inclusion, social innovation, social entrepreneurship, circular economy.

Daily program of activities:

Language lessons

ANEMOS ANANEOSIS / Wind of Renewal provides in its innovative Welcommon Hostel language lessons for adult and teen refugees in English and German. The lessons are divided into different levelsto ensure similar language skills in each classand to achieve better results. The mainly focus of the lessons are on practical issues, learning useful vocabulary for their interactions and communication in daily life.

From Monday to Friday there is a kids-program for non-formal education at Welcommon Hostel where refugee children in school age are able to do beside of their homework different creative activities. The Volunteers are providing together with the Volunteers Coordinator an intercultural program such as:

music lessons

cooking

theater

dancing

gardening

art and handcrafts (mostly using recycling materials)

team and relaxation games

yoga

cinema

making puppets

The kids-program also includes:

Maths and Greek lessons to prepare the children for the school and help them with their lessons. These activities take place on the first and second floor of the Welcommon Hostel. We want to start again an integrated tutoring program for the children, to support them with the lessons in school.

Outdoor activities:

In addition to the daily program, the volunteers are organizing regularly outdoor activities around the neighborhood but also educational daytrips for the refugee children, like to visit a museum, or/and a Cultural Center or/and a parc. As part of the program Athens Open Schools of the municipality of Athens, the kids are allowed to play in the afternoons at the schoolyard of the primary school close to the Hostel, so they have contact and be familiar with the school environment.

For the most of the participating children, this program is the only educational framework they get, so the aim is to empower the kids through educational games.

Extra activities;

A Christmas show and bazaar went pretty well. We have been preparing it more than one month, stuff volunteers, children, teens and getting involved the adults and mothers as well.

Dance Chorography

Poetry project ( reciting poems in Arabic & English written by Afghan teens – inspired by a German project)

Bazaar (making Christmas decorations, crafts)

Cooking Christmas sweets

Shadow puppets

Christmas songs ( Greek – Arabic – English )

Giving prizes rewards and presents

The active role of volunteers

To create more of these interactive moments the volunteers established new projects in the Welcommon Hostel, that are open to everybody, guests, locals and refugees. So once a week there is a football project in the park of the neighborhood and intercultural events take place in the Hostel: a language exchange evening and a get-together (playing board games).

“Learning from each other” is an important and interesting part of the social project. As many people with different knowledge and skills come together, we try to benefit from each other. This happens through workshops we are giving to each other and in our daily work and interactions. For example, together with one of our volunteers we had organized a workshop of fire prevention, or volunteers and participants of an Erasmus exchange group that was hosted by Welcommon Hostel discussed about their experiences and organized together some social activities. Not only tourists and groups can participate in our social, cultural and ecological activities, but also our volunteers and the kids, teens and adults can participate in workshops that visitors organize in our hostel.

We need your support

In order to maintained the social project and the proportions of the building used for the social activities (800 m2), as well as being able to develop our social – ecological projects and having a valuable continuation, it’s necessary to have more support. The salaries of the volunteers’ coordinator and the mentor as well a small part of the materials for the activities and lessons are funded by the non-profit association Respect for Greece until the end of 2019.

But this is a small part or the cost that in total is higher than 8.000 euros/month. In order to be able to continue our work we have to find, the soonest, donations, as two floors in the Hostel are not used for the guests/tourists but for the social inclusion activities. The expenses of the social project are high:

the proportional rent cost for 2 floors – 800 m2- used for the social, cultural and ecological activities and the lessons,

hosting 10 volunteers in special rooms,

the activities as such,

use-consumption of materials,

need for supporting services, eg cleaning,

refurbishment of the rooms,

bills for water, electricity, heating and cooling

If you want to support our social activities with a donation, our bank account is